


reap what you sow

by alexanderlightweight



Series: Words of October 2019 [26]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Domestic Fluff, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Semi-Sentient Tentacles, Soft Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Spells & Enchantments, Tentacles, Tentacletober
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-17
Updated: 2019-10-17
Packaged: 2020-12-22 00:55:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,495
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21066221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alexanderlightweight/pseuds/alexanderlightweight
Summary: Magnus doesn't want to seal away his tentacles even temporarily but in order to avoid trouble at an upcoming magical convention he might have to.Alec has a different solution, unconventional though it may be.





	reap what you sow

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lynne_monstr](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lynne_monstr/gifts).

> written for the prompt: tentacles in peril

“Magnus, is something wrong?” Alec asked from the door and Magnus determinedly did not turn around, instead pretending to check his hair, which was newly streaked with a rather dashing silver.

“No such thing, Alexander. Everything is perfection, why on earth would you ever suspect otherwise?” 

In the mirror, he could see Alec’s raised eyebrows, a valid response to his sarcasm and bit back a snicker.

“So I should just ignore being dragged from the bedroom? And uh, _ this _?” Alec raised his hands a bit and gestured to himself.

“You look as gorgeous as ever, is something wrong?” 

Magnus couldn’t help it, his lips twitched with amusement as he asked and Alec sighed, leaning carefully against the door frame. His shirt billowed, a tentacle warily peeking out from where the majority had taken refuge in Alec’s clothes. A sound plan indeed, if one discounted the fact that they were still connected to Magnus and therefore, unable to truly hide.

“Am I missing something?”

“It’s the convention I’m going to later." Magnus admitted and he flicked a glare towards his tentacles, “which will require a spell stronger than a mere glamour considering how much magic is going to be flying around. I’m going to need to seal them away.”

Alec grunted, less from the shock of Magnus’ words and more because he suddenly had a very tight and constricting harness of tentacles as a cage around his lungs.

“Right, is there something you can do that is, not that?” Alec asked, petting comfortingly at the tentacle that had curled tightly around his arm. “Because I don’t think that is going to go over very well.”

Magnus smiled and he chuckled softly, “you’re a sweet man Alexander, however unless you’d like to have them attached to you for an evening, it’s what I’ll be doing.”

“I mean-“ Alec hesitated, like he couldn’t believe what he was about to say, “they already kind of are attached to me. If that would be easier for you and them, then I’d be willing.”

“They have got you wrapped around them, haven’t they?” Magnus asked and he laughed softly as his tentacles eagerly pulled Alec towards him, even going so far as to wrap around his own wrists so that they could pull Magnus’ arms up and around his husband. “I think they appreciate your offer.”

“Mmm,” Alec said, thoroughly distracted by Magnus’ hands tangling in his hair, “then that’s all figured out.”

-

Magnus hesitated as he raised a hand full of dark, nearly indigo magic. The spell that he’d etched onto the floor was an intricate one and even Alec had taken a moment to appreciate its artistry. “You’re sure your okay with this?” He asked once more, a small sliver of insecurity having wedged itself into his heart. Alec had never shied away from his tentacles but it would be different, this time he would not only be the recipient of their attention but also the one who bore them.

“I told you, it’s fine. Even if something goes wrong, it’s only for an evening. Besides, this way you can still feel them and everything, they’ll just be anchored to me, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.” Magnus murmured softly and he raised a hand to stroke along the closest tentacle. Truth be told, he’d been dreading sealing them away, worried that it would feel far too similar to when he’d bound them to Edom. “If you do this, you won’t be able to use magic, you’ll just be hosting them. Think of it as something similar to a magical symbiote attached to you.”

“Oh, so you only want me for my body?” Alec teased and Magnus laughed, joy pushing back the panic and fear and his humor only grew when one, errant tentacle reached up to pinch Alexander face. It left behind two red circles on a flushed cheek when he finally shooed them away, “alright okay, I get it! No appreciation for my humor.”

“_All _ the appreciation for your humor.” Magnus assured him, “it’s a highlight of our life, the ridiculous little jokes you make. They just think you’re cute. Now, this is going to create a more permanent block between my emotions and their own as well as our magical abilities." Magnus said as Alec stepped forward and stripped off his shirt, "they’ll still be in tune with me, just with a little more free will of their own.”

“It’ll be fine Magnus, _ we’ll _ be fine and we’ll be here, safely waiting for you.” Alec promised and stepped into ritual, muscles rippling as he stretched and stood there, bare feet smudging chalk and somehow, Magnus fell even further in love. 

-

Magnus portaled into his office first, not wanting to risk waking up Alec in case he was sleeping and he could feel his wards slip around him and the gentle presence of his tentacles echoing a welcome through his magic.

He stepped into the living room and froze; it was... a rather gruesome sight if he were being honest. There were pillows and feathers everywhere, a half singed blanket lay by the fire and the tv had been rather bluntly knocked off its stand. Deciding that it was better to figure this out now, than to wait for the morning he walked to their bedroom, a frown on his lips and he wondered just what he would find there.

What he found, was Alec sullenly sat on their bed as one tentacle was trying to dry his hair as his hands were carefully restrained and rather indelicately painted with polish. 

“Evening Alexander,” Magnus said with a laugh, snapping his fingers to send the towel to the bathroom and tidy up the mess of Alec’s nails. “What happened in the living room?” Magnus asked casually, trying not to laugh at the image Alec made. 

“Oh, sorry about that. I meant to clean it up but _ someone _ built a magic wall that shocked me every time I tried to leave the bedroom.” Here Alec flicked one of the tentacles sternly, “we had a pillow fight out there.”

“A pillow fight?” Magnus asked and he paused, “you know, when I thought of the mischief you could get up to with my tentacles, trashing the living room was not one of them.”

“They were trying to be helpful except then they got competitive,” Alec said and he smirked, “except I won.” He yelped, a loud sharp noise as several tentacles attacked his sides and Magnus watched with mild concern as his normally graceful shadowhunter tumbled to the ground and inefficiently batted at his tickling tormentors. 

“You really shouldn’t antagonize them, you know how they get and this time, you can’t exactly run away.” Magnus said and offered his hand, pulling Alec to his feet and getting a breathless kiss in greeting. “Now, why don’t we reverse this?” 

-

“Alexander, don’t get me wrong. I appreciate the view, but why on earth weren’t you wearing a shirt?” Magnus asked as the ritual started, “you know that fabric doesn’t bother them, they just phase through it.”

“I made a deal,” Alec said with a sly little grin, “no shirt while you were gone in return for some help later on.”

Magnus made a little hum as the ritual finished and his tentacles settled back along his spine. He hadn’t necessarily _ missed _ them, they’d been content and safe with Alec, however it felt good and right to have them where they belonged. “And just what are they helping you with, besides destroying our home?” Magnus asked curiously, snapping his fingers to erase the last of the chalk as he sat on the bed, reaching out to brush his fingers along Alec’s spine where the skin would still be sensitive from magical residue. 

“Oh, just a little idea I had.” Alec grinned, straddling Magnus hips in a fluid movement and Magnus hummed, happy to get on board with this new turn of events. He started to raise his hands so he could hold Alec, maybe pull him closer by his hips or drag his nails along Alec’s back; instead he was surprised by his wrists being grabbed by his own tentacles as they tugged and twisted until his arms were securely pinned behind his back.

“Oh, I see.” Magnus breathed out, voice a little hoarse as his husband grinned at him, “you conspired against me. How very devious of you, Alexander.”

“I know you say that you hate surprises but they seemed to think you’d like this one,” Alec said with a smirk and pressed a gentle kiss to the corner of Magnus’ mouth, pulling back when he tried to deepen the kiss. 

“I think I’m going to enjoy it very much.” Magnus said, a smile on his face even as he flexed against the secure hold keeping him in place, “just remember darling, you reap what you sow.”

“I look forward to it,” Alec promised and Magnus shuddered with delight at the desire in his eyes.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm on tumblr as [alexanderlightweight](https://alexanderlightweight.tumblr.com)


End file.
